Packing is a pain. No two ways about it. Especially if you are packing up a bunch of kids (and, no doubt, your husband) and especially if you are going away for a week or more.
There are a few quick tips you can use to minimize the frustration.
Family Travel Packing: Laundry Room
Instead of lugging luggage to and from bedrooms all over your house, it is much easier to stage a packing area in your laundry room. Then you can collect laundry from the bedrooms, and literally fold and pack items directly from the dryer to the suitcases.
Family Travel Packing: Beach Bag
Have a separate roomy tote bag ready for schlepping stuff to the beach when you arrive. You will use this bag every day for towels, sunscreen, magazines, sunglasses and other beach paraphernalia. Might as well pack this bag up with these items now so you are ready to roll when you get there.
Family Travel Packing: Day Bag
Pack a separate small duffel bag with the 'right this second' items your kids will want when you arrive. It's too much of a pain to go hunting through suitcases when all the kids want to do is rush the beach. Having this small duffel packed with a towel and swimsuit for each kid, flip flops and pail and shovel will allow you to drop off your bags and quickly get ready to head to the beach.
Family Travel Packing: Rainy Day
You'll need another small bag-inside-a-bag for the rainy day activities. If you are stuck in a hotel room or rented house on a very rainy day, you'll thank yourself if you have this ready. Put in a few favorite activities for the kids. Add some new things they have never seen- coloring books, playing cards, crafts, modeling clay and other small packables are great for the rainy day activity bag.
Family Travel Packing: Food
You won't to worry about squishing bread or spoiling milk, but there are some grocery essentials that are easier to bring than put on a long when-we-get-there shopping list. Get a big plastic container and fill it with paper products such as toilet paper, paper towels, and paper plates and other items like plastic silverware, tin foil, plastic storage bags, etc. Also add dry goods like peanut butter, granola bars, cereal, etc. Although you'll need to hit the grocery store when you arrive at the beach, these places are always crowded and there's nothing worse than looking down aisles in an unfamiliar store when all you want to do is read your book on the beach.
Oh- and don't forget your book!
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